Under the existing Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (which was created 38 years ago), buildings within the floodplain were required to have their lowest floor be elevated to the Base Flood Elevation (BFE). The BFE refers to the elevation associated with the “100-year flood,” which is a flood with a 1% chance of occurrence in any given year. The new flood standard requires federal agencies to choose one of three approaches, according to FEMA. The agencies can:

Utilize the best-available, actionable data and methods that integrate current and future changes in flooding based on science,

Add two or three feet of elevation above the BFE, or

Utilize the 500-year (or 0.2% annual chance) flood elevation.

Many communities across the nation have already been requiring the additional height above the BFE, called freeboard. Although raising a structure above the BFE can sometimes pose design challenges, the additional height reduces flood risk and FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency, which administers the NFIP) provides a reduction in flood insurance premiums and the higher the building’s lowest floor above the BFE, the more substantial the savings are.

Jessica McSulla is a Project Designer at Sowinski Sullivan Architects, PC. She received her Bachelor of Science in Architecture from New Jersey Institute of Technology over 15 years ago. As an architectural designer, Jessica has had diverse experience in residential, commercial, biopharmaceutical, hospitality, retail, and transportation design. She is knowledgeable and passionate about sustainable architecture, resilient design, and intelligent urbanism.